NANNING: Holding hands the Asean-style, media participants from the regional grouping hoarsely belted out the familiar tune of "Rasa Sayang" here tonight as they bade farewell to their Chinese host.
The "feel good" atmosphere capped a week-long programme of interviews and field studies in Guangdong and Guangxi aimed at strengthening China-Asean relations.
While the Chinese celebrated the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival of family union, the Asean participants not only made new friends from China but also from among their Asean neighbours.
Hosted by People's Daily, China's largest newspaper with a daily circulation of more than two million, the Third China-Asean Media Cooperation Seminar and Interview Tour was suggested by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
He had proposed in his speech titled "Working Together to Open a New Chapter of China-Asean Relationship" at the 10th China-Asean Summit in January that China would hold the programme in an effort to enhance exchanges in the media sector among China and Asean countries.
People's Daily president Wang Chen said the strengthening China-Asean relations would need enhanced mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation.
"I believe that our practical media cooperation, as a new form in the 10+1 cooperation, will significantly expand, enrich and push forward the 10+1 cooperation relations," he said.
Last year witnessed the 15th anniversary of China-Asean dialogue relations while 2007 marked a significant year for Asean as it celebrated its 40th anniversary.
As part of broader efforts to bolster cooperation among the media organisations, the seminar participants agreed on the setting up of a China-Asean Media Cooperation Liaison Network, the details of which are to be worked out.
Participating media organisations also agreed to support the China-Asean Expo in Nanning as the event, which has been successfully held over the past three years, is a major platform to strengthen ties between China and Asean.
The fourth exposition, to be held later this month, will highlight cooperation among ports in China and Asean with the organiser expecting another large turnout.
Some 820,000 people participated as exhibitors and trade visitors in the previous three expositions.
Using football as a metaphor, I mentioned in my speech at the seminar that together we could form a formidable team.
"I believe many of us here love football. China itself has become a soccer powerhouse, having played in the 2002 World Cup. Given the chance, the 10 Asean countries would also want to qualify for the World Cup finals. But the 10 of us cannot even form a team. We need another player, a strong player. That's why we need China for this 10 plus 1 team."
